Dash light



Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,421 E, E. HUNTINGTON DASH LIGHT Filed Dec. 26, 1925 INVENTOR. [12 Wl/Yfl #ummvtro/v Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES p 1,685,421 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. HUNTINGTON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WIL LYS OVERLAID COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DASH LIGHT.

Application filed December 26, 1925. Serial No. 77,796.

This invention relates to d:ish lights and more particularly to dash lights for lighting the instrument-boards of motor vehicles.

One. of the objects of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle dash light that will be shielded from the direct vision of the vehicle operator.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a motor vehicle dash lamp that will not cast light rays onto the instrument board in,

a manner so as to be reflected into the eyes of the vehicle operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle dash lamp with a light deflector that will obstruct the light rays from striking the upper portion of the instrument board and reduce the light glare therefrom.

Other objectswill appear from the description to follow, which for the purpose of the present application I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure I is vertical section, taken on line II of Fig. II, of a vehicle cowl and instrument board, showing the direction of the light rays as controlled by the improved light.

Fig. II is a sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. I showing the instrument board in elevation, with the instruments lighted and the upper portion of the instru ment board darkened.

Fig. III is a bottom plan View of the lamp and housing showing the shape and location of the deflector.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the views, the dash lamp .1 is mounted in a housing 2 which is secured to the instrument board 3 and the rearwardly extending cowl 4, by means of bolts 5 and 6. Lamp 1 is preferably located above and slightly rearward of the instrument-board 3. so that the light rays emanating therefrom will fall upon the instruments 7 and 8 which are desired to be lighted. It is desirable to prevent light rays from striking the upper portion of the instrument-board 3, as such rays will be reflected into the eyes of the vehicle operator and will detract from the com-.

fort and safety of the operation of the vehicle.

In order to eliminate the objectionable glare which would arise from the reflected rays, those which would ordinarily strike that portion of the instrument board 3 which lies above the instruments 7 and 8, are obstructed by a. deflector 9 which isinterposed bet-Ween flange 10 which is of sufficient breadth to obstruct those rays that tend to reach the upper portion of the instrument board 3. The direction of the light rays is indicated by the broken lines 11 in Fig. I and the resultant shadow cast by flange 10 is indicated by the shaded portion 12 in Fig. II. It is desirable to have the shadow, as indicated by shaded portion 12, follow the outlines of the'ins'truments 7 and 8 for a short distance below the tops thereof, and to secure this result, the flange 10 is given the form shown in Fig. III; but the shape of the reflector will vary with any change in the shape of the instruments, and the location of the lamp with respect to the deflector.

Housing 2 is preferably formed with a curved cross section, and I also prefer to coat the forward portion 13 with a light reflecting substance, such as white enamel, and to coat the rear portion 14 with a non-reflecting material such as black paint. The coatings 13 and 14 tend to reflect light rays toward the instruments 7 and 8 and to absorb those rays that might possibly be reflected by housing 2 toward the upper part of the instrument board. The appearance of the instrument board 3, when lighted by lamp 1 mounted according to the invention will be as indicated in Fig. II, and it may be noted that the instruments 7 and 8 are lighted and that the portion of the instrument-board above the instruments is darkened by a shadow 12 having the same general outline as the instruments, and which is the projected image of flange 10.

WVhile I have illustrated and described somewhat in detail certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that this showing and description are illustrative only, and that I do not regard the invention as limited to the details of construction shown and described, except in so far as I have included such limitations within the terms of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a dash lighting system for a motor vehicle, the combination of an instrument board having instruments thereon, a cowl above said instrument board'and extending rearwardly thereof, a lamp mounted under said cowl and adjacent said instrument board, and channel shaped reflecting hous ing for said lamp, said housing extending laterally of said instrument board, and said housing having a flange thereon interposed between said lamp and said instrument board for obstructing light rays tending to reach the upper portion of said instrument board.

2. In a dash lighting system for a motor vehicle, the combination of an instrument board having instruments thereon, a cowl extending oversaid instrument board, a lamp beneath said cowl and rearward ofsaid instrument board, and a channel shaped reflecting lamp housing arranged topermitlight to fall 'upon said instruments, said lamp housing extending laterally of said instrument board "and having a deflector thereon for preventing light rays from reaching the upper portions of said instrument board, and said housing being secured to both said lnstrument board and said cowl.

3. In an automobile, a combination which includes a dash board having a plurality of instruments disposed thereon; a lamp, and a channel shaped housing parallel to the board partially enclosing the lamp and refleeting the light thereof, said housing being provided with a longitudinal slot shaped to restrict'the light to the portion of the board bearing the,instruments.

EDWVARD E. HUNTINGTON. 

